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H.R.4643 / 106th Congress

Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians Claims Settlement Act

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 923.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jun 13, 2000

Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians Claims Settlement Act - Approves, ratifies, and confirms the Agreement of Compromise and Settlement Concerning Claims to the Lands of the United States Within and on the Perimeter of the Salton Sea Drainage Reservoir Held in Trust for the Torres-Martinez Indians, as modified (the Settlement Agreement).Establishes in the Treasury the following three settlement trust fund accounts: (1) Torres-Martinez Settlement Trust Fund Account; (2) Torres-Martinez Allottees Settlement Account I; and (3) Torres-Martinez Allottees Settlement Account II. Requires: (1) amounts held in the trust accounts be available to the Secretary for distribution to the Tribe and affected allottees; and (2) amounts paid to the Secretary for deposit into the accounts be allocated among and deposited in the accounts in the amounts determined by the tribal-allottee allocation provisions of the Settlement Agreement. Directs: (1) the Coachella Valley Water District and the Imperial Irrigation District to pay separate, specified amounts to the United States for the benefit of the Tribe and any affected allottees; and (2) the United States to pay a specified amount into such accounts which shall be provided from certain moneys appropriated by Congress.Directs the Secretary to convey into trust status lands purchased or acquired by the Tribe within specified primary and secondary acquisition areas in accordance with the terms, conditions, criteria, and procedures set forth in the Settlement Agreement. Requires all lands purchased or otherwise acquired by the Tribe and conveyed into trust status for its benefit to be considered as if they were so acquired in trust status in 1909, except as to water rights as provided in this Act and to valid rights existing at the time of acquisition. Prohibits lands in such areas from being acquired if by majority vote: (1) the governing body of the city within whose incorporated boundaries the subject lands are situated within; or (2) the governing body of Riverside County, California, in the event that such lands are located within an unincorporated area, formally objects to the Tribe's request to convey the subject lands into trust and notifies the Secretary of such objection in writing within 60 days of receiving a copy of such request. Allows the Tribe to conduct gaming on only one site within such lands. Requires that all such lands: (1) be subject to all valid water rights existing at the time of tribal acquisition; (2) be subject to the rights of any person who at any time recharges or stores water in a ground water basin to recapture or recover the recharged or stored water or to authorize others to recapture or recover it; and (3) continue to enjoy all valid water rights appurtenant to the land existing immediately prior to the time of such acquisition.Conveys to the Coachella Valley Water Districta permanent flowage easement to all: (1) Indian trust lands located within and below the minus 220-foot contour of the Salton Sink; and (2) Federal lands located within and below such contour.Grants and conveys to the Imperial Irrigation District identical easements.Declares that the benefits available to the Tribe and the allottees under the terms and conditions of the Settlement Agreement and the provisions of this Act constitute full and complete satisfaction of the claims by the Tribe and the allottees arising from or related to the inundation and lack of drainage of tribal and allottee lands. Approves and confirms the releases and waivers required.Provides that: (1) nothing in this Act or the Settlement Agreement shall affect the eligibility of the Tribe or its members for any Federal program or diminish the trust responsibility of the United States to the Tribe and its members; and (2) no payment pursuant to this Act shall result in the reduction or denial of any Federal services or programs to the Tribe or its members to which they are entitled or eligible because of their status as a federally recognized Indian tribe or member of such Tribe.Permits the Settlement Agreement to be amended.Authorizes appropriations.

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Who introduced it

Rep. Bono, Mary [R-CA-44] · R–CA

Committees

  • Indian Affairs Committee
  • Natural Resources Committee
18 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

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  1. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 923.

  2. Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Campbell without amendment. With written report No. 106-474.

  3. Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Campbell without amendment. With written report No. 106-474.

  4. Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

  5. Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

  6. Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

  7. On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H7663-7665)

  8. Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H7663-7665)

  9. DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4643.

  10. Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H7663-7667)

  11. Mr. Gilchrest moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

  12. Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 511.

  13. Reported by the Committee on Resources. H. Rept. 106-855.

  14. Reported by the Committee on Resources. H. Rept. 106-855.

  15. Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

  16. Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

  17. Executive Comment Requested from Interior.

  18. Referred to the House Committee on Resources.

  19. Introduced in House

  20. Introduced in House

Bill text & related measures

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